Page 27 of The Most Wanted Witch

The streets were quiet as we made our way over, as they always seemed to be these days, especially after nightfall.

Zab looked both ways before walking far from the building, just as I did. Couldn’t even cross the street without getting ready to defend yourself.

“Can’t wait until this place is back to normal,” Zab said as he continued to look in every direction.

“I know,” I said, looking both ways myself, but for a different reason. There was one predator that liked to come out at night, and that was me. One of these times, I was going to manage to catch some grouslies.

The shop was empty when we walked in, one of Gilli’s workers wiping down the shelving for lack of anything else to do. They were close enough to the broker office that I saw a lot of the foot traffic that passed us by. This place used to always be packed. If they got a couple of people an hour now, that was a lot.

She handed us two cocoas, knowing our order by heart, plus a bag of fudge on the house.

“Why do I never order these?” Zab asked, popping fudge into his mouth as we walked out.

“I’m wondering the same,” I said after my first bite. They were like little pieces of heaven in your mouth.

A muffled scream came from around the corner. I took off at a run in that direction, my cocoa splattering on the ground.

Gilli was standing behind the Sweet Shop with a herd of grouslies attacking her legs, her employee standing in the back door with a broom in her hand, looking for an opening she seemed too fearful to take even if she could.

“Stay close to me,” I yelled to Zab, not wanting them to switch attacks and go for him after I scared them away from Gilli.

I didn’t wait for him to agree as I ran toward her, the ground already covered in blood. The alley lit up, as if Zab had shined a spotlight on the grouslies.

They scattered well before I got within a few feet of them, running as if I were the devil himself and had come to collect them for hell.

Gilli was on the ground, her pants in shreds, her hands torn apart as she continued bleeding, a pitiful moaning coming from her. She turned on her side, balling up in a fetal position.

I dropped to the ground beside her, knowing we had to get her back to the broker building fast before the poison could spread.

“What should I do?” Her employee ran toward us but then stopped short, looking at me as if I were as scary as the grouslies.

“Go back in so you don’t get attacked after we leave. We’ll take care of her. Hawk knows how to treat this. She’ll be fine.” I turned my full attention back to Gilli. “I’m going to wrap your arm around my shoulders so we can get you help.”

The only response I got was a moan.

Zab was already grabbing her other arm as we hoisted her up. “Should we bring Hawk here?”

“No. Quicker to get her there.”

We stood, walking her back as fast as we could, leaving a trail of blood in our wake.

We walked into the office, each of us with one of Gilli’s arms slung over our shoulders. She continued to moan, tears streaming down her face. I wasn’t sure if she was even cognizant at this point.

“Get Hawk,” I yelled to a frozen Bibbi.

Hawk was already there, walking in from the back room. He backed out of the door and pointed to the couch. “I’ve got to go get supplies. Keep her seated with her feet on the ground to limit circulation.”

“What about the blood loss?” I yelled to him as he walked out.

“More concerned about the poison,” he replied before he was gone.

Musso rushed over. “Damned grouslies again. Fifth attack in the last few weeks.”

Bertha sat beside Gilli, draping a throw over her shoulders. “It’ll be all right. Hawk will fix you up.”

Hawk was back downstairs seconds later, covering her legs in the same tincture he’d used on me. I nodded to Zab, motioning over to the side of the room and out of earshot.

“Does she have family?” I asked as he joined me.

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